Aoun had pledged that Saudi Arabia would be his first foreign destination, emphasising the kingdom’s historical role in supporting Lebanon [Getty]
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun will visit Saudi Arabia on Monday, where he is expected to seek support for his troubled nation reeling from a severe financial crisis and the the aftermath of Israel’s war last year.
The visit, his first foreign trip since his 9 January election, is expected to focus on revitalising bilateral relations, addressing Lebanon’s economic crisis, and discussing regional security issues, particularly Israel’s continued occupation of border areas in southern Lebanon.
Talks will also cover reconstruction efforts and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Aoun’s visit comes in response to an invitation from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, extended shortly after his election.
Aoun had pledged that Saudi Arabia would be his first foreign destination, emphasising the kingdom’s historical support for Lebanon and Beirut’s commitment to Arab solidarity.
Following his visit to Riyadh, Aoun is scheduled to travel to Egypt to participate in an Arab Summit.
Saudi-Lebanese relations: a troubled history
Saudi Arabia has played a crucial role in Lebanon’s political landscape, most notably in mediating the 1989 Taif Agreement which ended Lebanon’s multi-faceted 15-year civil war.
The kingdom had long been a main financial backer of Lebanon too, and tens of thousands of Saudis would visit Lebanon yearly.
But relations deteriorated over the past decade, particularly under former president Michel Aoun, with Hezbollah’s growing influence in Lebanese politics and security affairs, and the Iran-back group’s hostility towards Riyadh.
The kingdom viewed Hezbollah’s expanding role as a threat to regional security, leading to a near diplomatic and economic freeze between the two nations.
Ties reached an unprecedented low in late 2021 when then-Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi made controversial remarks criticising Saudi involvement in the Yemen war, prompting Saudi Arabia to withdraw its ambassador from Beirut and expel Lebanon’s envoy to Riyadh. Several other Gulf states, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE, followed suit.
Earlier that year, Saudi Arabia had also decided to ban Lebanese food exports and urged its citizens not to travel to Lebanon over “security concerns”.
Lebanon hopes Riyadh will end these restrictions under the new administration in Beirut, helping to relieve the battered Lebanese economy.
A renewed push for cooperation
Recently, Saudi Arabia has re-engaged in Lebanese affairs through the Quintet Committee, which also includes Qatar, the United States, France, and Egypt. The kingdom played a pivotal role in securing Aoun’s election, ending a two-year presidential vacuum.
With Hezbollah’s influence drastically waning following the war with Israel and the fall of Hezbollah’s Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad in December, Saudi Arabia is expected to play a stronger role in helping shape the country’s future.
According to sources at Lebanon’s Presidential Palace, Aoun’s meeting with Prince Salman will focus on ensuring Lebanon is no longer a platform for regional conflicts or a source of illicit exports to Gulf countries.
Discussions will also include economic recovery efforts, particularly under the new government led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, the former head of the International Court of Justice who has vowed to carry out deep-rooted reforms.
Lebanon hopes to attract Saudi investment, secure reconstruction aid, and resume trade relations, including lifting the Saudi travel ban.
Major trade and economic agreements in progress
Lebanon and Saudi Arabia have been working on a series of economic agreements aimed at reviving trade and investment.
A total of 22 agreements have been prepared in collaboration with the Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari, according to Mohammad Abu Haidar, director general of Lebanon’s Ministry of Economy and Trade.
These agreements, which cover sectors such as trade, agriculture, education, transportation, and defence, are expected to boost economic ties between the two countries.
While the agreements are still being finalised, most legal and logistical aspects have already been addressed.
Before relations soured, Lebanon’s exports to Saudi Arabia ranged between $700 million and $800 million annually.
The suspension of trade caused significant financial losses, particularly as Lebanon’s economy collapsed in 2019, with its currency losing over 90 percent of its value and depositors’ bank savings being wiped out. The meltdown has been blamed on decades of rampant corruption and mismanagement by the country’s ruling elite.
Reopening trade with Saudi Arabia is considered critical for Lebanon’s economic recovery, potentially bringing much-needed foreign currency, strengthening public and private sector confidence, and creating new job opportunities.
In a significant step toward restoring relations, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud visited Beirut on 23 January, marking the highest-level Saudi visit to Lebanon in 15 years.
The move signalled a potential shift in Riyadh’s stance and reinforced hopes that Lebanon and Saudi Arabia could rebuild their partnership.
